Payroll, Benefits and HRIS Specialist

Company Description CenterPass™ is a premier vegetation management services network designed to support residential, commercial, and utility customers across the East Coast. Backed by institutional capital, the company focuses on delivering safe, scalable, and environmentally responsible solutions. Services range from tree care to right-of-way maintenance and infrastructure support, helping clients protect assets and ensure reliability. CenterPass emphasizes operational excellence and long-term partnerships, offering team members opportunities to contribute to sustainable land management and infrastructure resilience.

Centerpass partners | Hybrid office schedule near Westport, Connecticut

Position Overview

Centerpass partners is seeking a hands-on Payroll, benefits and HRIS Manager to serve as the centralized owner of payroll operations in a start-up environment. This role combines day-to-day payroll execution, benefits administration, and HRIS implementation with the opportunity to build scalable processes, controls, and a dependable employee experience.

The ideal candidate has direct experience implementing an HRIS and processing prevailing wage and union payrolls, and working in a multi-state company. This is a working manager role requiring personal ownership of payroll accuracy, deadlines, issue resolution, new hire on-boarding, benefits enrollments, and system integrity.

Location and schedule: Hybrid, with regular on-site work near Westport, Connecticut. The position requires availability to meet payroll deadlines and support implementation milestones.

Key Responsibilities:

Centralized Payroll Operations

· Own the end-to-end payroll process, including timekeeping, data validation, payroll processing, approvals, funding coordination, and post-payroll reconciliation.

· Process employee changes, earnings, deductions, garnishments, leave-related adjustments, final pay, and off-cycle payments accurately and on time.

· Establish a centralized payroll calendar, documented procedures, approval workflows, and backup coverage as the business grows.

· Coordinate payroll tax filings, year-end reporting, and issue resolution with payroll providers and Finance; maintain audit-ready records and appropriate internal controls.

· Partner with HR, Finance, and operational leaders to resolve discrepancies, support payroll accounting, and respond to employee questions.

Prevailing Wage and Union Payroll

· Administer prevailing wage payroll using applicable wage determinations, job classifications, project requirements, and fringe benefit obligations.

· Prepare and reconcile certified payroll reports and supporting records for covered projects; coordinate submissions and address discrepancies.

· Apply collective bargaining agreement provisions governing wage rates, overtime, premiums, deductions, and employer contributions.

· Calculate and reconcile union dues, benefit fund contributions, and other required remittances; maintain accurate reporting and supporting documentation.

· Track wage schedule and agreement changes and coordinate their timely implementation with operational leaders and payroll providers.

Benefits Administration

· Manage benefit enrollments, qualifying life events, terminations, and open enrollment in partnership with brokers, carriers, and service providers.

· Reconcile benefit deductions and carrier invoices, resolve eligibility issues, and coordinate required notices and reporting with appropriate advisers.

· Maintain accurate benefit records and explain enrollment processes and benefit options clearly to employees.

HRIS Implementation and Data Management

· Lead HRIS implementation from requirements gathering and vendor coordination through configuration, data migration, testing, training, and go-live.

· Define payroll, timekeeping, and benefits workflows; validate integrations, earnings codes, deduction rules, and reporting requirements.

· Conduct parallel payroll testing, reconcile results, resolve defects, and document readiness before transitioning to the new system.

· Serve as the ongoing HRIS administrator, maintaining employee data, role-based access, reporting, and system documentation.

· Build scalable processes that reduce manual work, protect confidential information, and support a growing organization.

Required Qualifications

· Progressive experience independently managing end-to-end payroll, with strong working knowledge of payroll controls, reconciliations, tax administration, and wage-and-hour requirements.

· Direct, hands-on experience with both prevailing wage payroll and union payroll, including certified payroll reporting and collective bargaining agreement requirements.

· Demonstrated HRIS implementation experience, including data migration, configuration, testing, payroll validation, and employee or administrator training.

· Experience administering employee benefits and reconciling benefit deductions and carrier invoices.

· Ability to build processes in a start-up or similarly fast-changing environment while remaining personally accountable for recurring operational deadlines.

· Strong spreadsheet, data analysis, troubleshooting, and documentation skills; exceptional attention to detail and sound judgment with confidential information.

· Clear communication skills and a service-oriented approach to supporting employees and collaborating across HR, Finance, and operations.

· Ability to work a hybrid schedule with regular on-site attendance near Westport, Connecticut.

· Great working knowledge across all areas of HR and compliance.

Preferred Qualifications

· Experience supporting multiple entities, locations, or payroll jurisdictions.

· Experience in forestry, landscaping, construction, contracting, or another service industry with project-based prevailing wage and union payroll requirements.

· Relevant payroll certification, such as Certified Payroll Professional (CPP), or equivalent professional training is great to have, but not required.

· Relevant education in accounting, finance, human resources, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

· Experience using HRIS tools like Paychex Flex, and benefits enrollment systems like Employee Navigator, or similar experience in ADP, Paylocity, Paycor.. or relevant HR systems.

What Success Looks Like

Accurate, timely payroll; reliable prevailing wage and union reporting to support business accounting programs; well-reconciled benefits records; a successfully implemented HRIS; and documented, scalable processes that employees and business partners can trust.

Estimated comp range of $90-120k depending on candidate experience, and includes a standard benefit package with medical/dental/vision, 401k, and paid time off.